Spiced and Salted Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies

I don’t really like those games where people ask  you “What is one thing you could never do without?” or “What are the 5 things you would take to a desert island?” I am a terrible decision maker and these just make me confused and cause me to over-think (which I do enough of anyway). But there is usually one thing that always comes to mind, whether or not it’s actually true. CHOCOLATE. How could I possibly live without chocolate? Whether it’s cocoa powder in my oatmeal or a Lindt dark chocolate truffle after dinner, I can’t seem to go a day without it. I try to eat chocolate in its purest form, which is why I decided I needed to make a cookie that was entirely centered around it. Hi my name is Theresa and I’m a chocoholic…

Although I love to experiment with different types of flours and gluten-free alternatives, I also like to keep my recipes simple. These cookies don’t have flour at all- again, giving it the super rich chocolate taste. They also don’t have any butter or oil, and only contain the whites of eggs. Instead, the heartiness is provided from the healthy fats of the walnuts, or whatever nut you choose to use. Not only do these have the savory touch of salt, but also the aromatic spices of ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, which actually only add a subtle flavor over the rich chocolate/walnut taste. The end product: a gooey, brownie-like, crunchy, decadent chocolate cookie. Hope all you chocolate addicts get as much joy from these as I do!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups walnut halves/pieces
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place walnut halves/pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until just beginning to golden. Let cool.
3. Chop walnuts into very small pieces, or place in food processor and pulse just a few times. (Top picture is larger pieces, bottom picture almost ground).
4. Combine sugar, cocoa powder, spices, and salt and whisk to combine. Try to get rid of any clumps in the powdered sugar or  cocoa powder.
5. Mix in the walnuts.
6. Add the egg whites and vanilla and stir just to combine completely.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or use coconut oil, butter, or cooking spray to grease baking sheet. (These tend to stick to pan, so take extra care to prep sheet).
8. Batter will be moist, but use a spoon to drop and form into 12 balls on the baking sheet. For smaller cookies, you could use two baking sheets and make into 18.
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just set on top and shiny. They will still be slightly moist, which is good.
10. Let cool slightly and then use spatula to transfer to wire rack. Sprinkle with a dash of sea salt and enjoy!